![]() Leo donated a portion of holiday gift card sales to his employees and was able to provide $30,000 in bonuses to his Quincy and Hanover staff.ĪLBA on 53 has a large outdoor dining area that will reopen in the spring. “Knowing and understanding food from the day you plant it leads to the best meals.”Īlong with guest safety, a top priority for Leo during COVID has been his staff. Leo uses herbs and produce from his rooftop garden at ALBA in his Quincy restaurants’ kitchens and is in the process of looking for land to farm so he can grow more and open a farm-to-table restaurant in the future. The restaurant sources locally when possible, including produce from Wards Berry Farm in Sharon, Duxbury oysters, New Bedford scallops, and fresh bread from Pain D’Avignon in Hyannis. Most recently, Todd worked at Cinquecento in Boston and was a regional chef with Tender Greens before that.ĭiners’ favorites are the Charred Spanish Octopus, served with celery root puree, baby potatoes, and salsa verde the Rack of Lamb, done in a harissa marinade with yogurt and fall vegetable ratatouille and the House Made Bolognese with beef, veal, pork, pancetta, and parmesan. Leo brought in Chef Todd Renner, whose Mediterranean dishes Leo had enjoyed. He knew people with Mediterranean ancestry live on the South Shore and he wanted to share the food of his childhood with others. Leo, who’s from Albania, added a Mediterranean flair to the Hanover menu. The restaurant has been busy since it opened, for which Leo is thankful.ĪLBA on 53 is a Mediterranean steakhouse. Hiring was more difficult than usual, and Leo implemented thorough training to ensure staff and patrons were safe and comfortable being there. Leo also had to make changes due to the pandemic’s extra cleaning and safety requirements. The opening was pushed back about three months because most of the furniture had been ordered from Europe and was delayed. Grilled Chicken Wrap and Fish Tacos ready for pickup! ![]() I knew people would move on and get back to normal.” Leo, like so many, didn’t expect the pandemic to last so long. “I opened my first restaurant, ALBA, in September of 2001,” said Leo. Besides, it wasn’t the first time he’d launched a restaurant during a national crisis. Leo wouldn’t have chosen to open during a pandemic, but things were well underway by the time COVID hit and he didn’t see the point of turning back. His latest venture, ALBA on 53 in Hanover, opened in August. Leo also owns nearby Zef Cicchetti & Raw Bar. ![]() Most people who live on the South Shore are familiar with Leo Keka’s Quincy restaurant, ALBA, and its rooftop deck. While the owners’ stories differ, their collective ambitions and dreams are inspiring and these new beginnings give us hope. Here is a look at four new spots around Southeastern Massachusetts that have safely braved the economic environment to offer area residents tasty food and tantalize their palates. However, despite this unwelcoming outlook, some new restaurants have decided to buck the trend and open during the pandemic. Sadly, many more restaurants have closed since last fall. In September, CBS Boston reported that, according to the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, 20% of all Massachusetts restaurants had permanently closed. Alba on 53, Hanover MA – A Mediterranean Steakhouse Opened During the Pandemicĭuring the pandemic, the restaurant industry has seen a steep downward trend, with falling revenue a best-case scenario for many eateries. At ALBA on 53, Chef Todd Renner (unmasked for photo) creates diners’ favorites such as the Baked Cod with fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower the Charred Spanish Octopus, served with celery root puree, baby potatoes, and salsa verde and the House Made Bolognese with beef, veal, pork, pancetta, and parmesan. ![]()
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